The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting bedclothes, such as a mattress for bed, a coverlet, an oriental mattress, a pillow, etc.
Generally, bedclothes are articles for daily use, which keep in touch with people every day. The bedclothes are contaminated by sweat, horny substance of a skin, dandruff, hair secreted or separated from the body of the people. Accordingly, harmful microorganisms or noxious insects, such as a mite inhabit the bedclothes to threaten people""s sanitation.
In particular, an apartment house in which a lot of people are lived at present is a place where a great number of harmful bacteria and harmful insects are lived since the temperature and the humidity are maintained constantly in the apartment house.
For these reasons, disease, such as allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, atopic dermatitis, conjunctivitis, etc., become increased suddenly recently.
The harmful bacteria and the harmful insects which cause occurrence of the disease as mentioned above may be exterminated by sterilization and disinfection of the bedclothes. In the home, a pillow, a coverlet, etc., which are movable freely as it are light and small in size, are exposed to the sun for a long time in order to sterilize and disinfect the bedclothes.
However, it is difficult to expose to the sun the bedclothes, such as a mattress for bed, because they are heavy and large in size.
Especially, modern people who are harassed with burdensome business matters cannot afford to transport and expose the bedclothes to the sun for a long time.
Accordingly, it is required to provide a method and apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting the bedclothes with ease when people have time to spare.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting bedclothes, such as a mattress for bed, a coverlet, an oriental mattress, a pillow, etc., using ultraviolet rays and ozone.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting bedclothes constructed in a foldable type such that it is folded in storage and it is unfolded in use.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting bedclothes which is easy to carry and handle the apparatus and convenient to use it at home.
The foregoing object is accomplished in one embodiment by providing a method and an apparatus for sterilizing and disinfecting bedclothes characterized in that a sterilizing and disinfecting room is prepared by simple development of the apparatus in a portion of the interior of the room or on a mattress for bed, the bedclothes are placed in the sterilizing and disinfecting room, a generator for generating ultraviolet rays and ozone mounted in the sterilizing and disinfecting room is operated, the bedclothes are exposed to the ultraviolet rays and ozone generated by the generator for generating ultraviolet rays and ozone for a predetermined time period to sterilize and disinfect the bedclothes.